Tempting Festival Foods: 9 to Try in Louisiana this Fall

With more than 75 fairs and festivals each year, it is no mystery why Southwest Louisiana is known as the festival capital of the state. As you plan your fall road trips across the South, consider a journey to Southwest Louisiana to satiate your appetite with a few of the region’s signature festival foods. Here are nine delicacies you’ll definitely want to taste!

1. Boudin
This Cajun sausage is Southwest Louisiana’s favorite finger food, a delicate blend of varying amounts of pork meat, liver, rice, onions, parsley, and dry seasonings like salt, red pepper, black pepper, and garlic powder. Try it at one of the area’s fall festivals or along the Southwest Louisiana Boudin Trail.

2. Seafood on a Stick
In Louisiana, seafood on a stick is hearty food that puts petite shrimp on a kebab to shame. You’ll find a little of everything, from jumbo shrimp with spicy Cajun seasoning to tasty alligator. Discover an assortment of seafood on a stick at the Cal-Cam Fair, October 11-16, 2016.

3. Red Beans and Rice
Louisiana residents adore red beans and rice, and there are countless toothsome renditions of this classic dish. Find your favorite version at one of the upcoming festivals.

4. Gumbo
As the temperature drops late in the season, nothings warms Louisiana travelers up better than a piping-hot bowl of gumbo. The nearly boundless range of gumbo options includes chicken and smoked sausage, shrimp and okra, a seafood medley of shrimp, crab, and oysters, and much more. Each delectable variation has one common culinary component: a rich and dark roux base, which makes all of them delightful.

5. Food Truck Fare
From Tex-Mex tacos to Southern barbecue to exotic Asian food, there is no shortage of quality cuisine on wheels in the charming streets of Southwest Louisiana. Get a sampling of the region’s delicious food trucks at Chuck Fest, October 15, 2016.

7. Braised Pork Belly with Cracklings
This dish — a Cajun culinary delight — features tender pork belly layered with crunchy pork cracklings. The enticing combination is bursting with flavor and can be found at many of the area’s autumn events.

8. Jambalaya
No Cajun party is complete without a serving of jambalaya! This irresistible dish is a varying blend of rice with sausage, shrimp, chicken, and vegetables infused with spicy Creole flavor.

9. Pralines
Simple yet satisfyingly sweet, pralines are a Southern favorite. The beloved treat is a made with a little brown sugar, evaporated milk, butter, and pecan halves. The result: heavenly pleasure.

There’s always something cooking in Southwest Louisiana. Visit www.visitlakecharles.org to learn more and plan a visit to enjoy some of upcoming fall festivals and signature foods.

Founded in 1999, Southern Lady magazine is a bimonthly publication that celebrates, delights, and inspires women who live in the South—and those who are simply Southern at heart. We focus on the joys of heart and home and the art of gracious living. We strive to bring a bit of Southern hospitality into the lives of each and every reader.